Cultivating thinking thanks

Revealer of our Heart

Season of Opening Boxes

Not sure how things are at your house, but I know for many, these weeks are so busy with boxes. There are small boxes, and large boxes, fat boxes, and thin boxes. Secrets and presents are busily being purchased, baked, built or developed to be revealed at the perfect time.

The outside appearance of a box can hide a multitude of things. It is often quite difficult to imagine what is inside. The actual item may be a lot smaller than the box, but the box is filled with tissue paper as a playful deception. That’s part of the giddiness of Christmas giving – concealing the contents, avoiding the predictable. At the appropriate time, however, the lid comes off and what is inside becomes visible.

Pulling the Lid Off My Heart

The same is true with the human heart – you don’t know what’s inside until the lid comes off. Some of us put more stock, investment, and armor in our façade than others. But with the right amount of pressure or intoxication, the box opens up and … wow!

The Psalmist makes a revealing statement about the righteous person in Ps. 140:13. Someone who loves God and is cleansed by the Lamb, will surely give thanks. They will have a bent towards wanting to be th(i)nkful. It will fit for them and not feel out of place.

I Thessalonians 5:18 says that even when the box is suddenly ripped open, one of the first things people should see inside is the giving of thanks. Yes, there may be hurt, pain, sorrow, expectations in ashes, and a thousand tears, but they will be intertwined with this unbelievable ribbon of thanks. That is God’s will. It may not be easy all the time. It is hard work to develop the mindset of thinking thanks about every situation, but it is profitable and fitting because God has designed it that way.

So How Is Your Box?

Opening the box of a righteous person’s heart should expose gratitude and a desire to express thanks. I don’t know about you, but this was convicting for me. My heart should be full of giving thanks.

When my thoughts are conflicted with frustrations and disappointments, I should take a reality check. What is really important here? Am I getting all bent out of shape because of a trivial thing? May the peace of God rule in my heart and filter my thoughts so that I can quickly give thanks for His name, His character, and the plan He is working out.

Merry Christmas!

May you and yours have a lovely season of concealing and revealing boxes. However, let it be a reminder of your own heart box and what is in it. Let the Lord pour His grace and strength into you so that you, in turn, can choose to think thanks about every circumstance in your life and express that thanks, first to God, and then to others.